Bangalore: Mother tongue: quashing of notification sought

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From the Hindu, 01/04/2006
http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/01/stories/2006040122110300.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mother tongue: quashing of notification sought

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The managements of private educational institutions on Friday
told the Karnataka High Court that the language policy enunciated by the
State Government was vague on the definition of mother tongue. They said
though the notification on the policy was issued in 1994, it had till date
failed to answer questions on several issues such as which was the mother
tongue language. All that the State Government had done was to declare
that the mother tongue of a child going to school or Kannada should be the
medium of instruction in all schools in the State from standard I to IV.

This was the argument addressed to a full Bench of the High Court which is
hearing the language issue. The managements, most of whom are operating
English medium schools, questioned the policy and some of its contents.
Appearing for the managements, senior counsel U.L. Bhat said there were
various interpretations on "mother tongue."

Definition

Noted litterateur V.K. Gokak had once defined mother tongue as the
official language of the State. For others, it was the language which the
parents of a child spoke. Yet another definition was that it was a
language the child was more familiar with but it may or may not be the
language of either the mother or father of the child, Mr. Bhat said. He
urged the court to quash the notification, saying that it was vague.

The full Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph, Justice Manjula
Chellur and Justice N. Kumar, which heard the petition adjourned further
hearing until April 12. Senior counsel B.V. Acharya has been engaged by
the State Government to argue the case.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/01/stories/2006040122110300.htm